24/01/2012 am.pm


24/01/2012

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Good afternoon and welcome to the programme. As usual we'll bring you

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coverage of First Minister's Questions this afternoon before

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asking what our Welsh Affairs Editor Vaughan Roderick thinks

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about it. But it's not just Vaughan's thoughts I want to hear,

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I would love to hear form you. You can share your thoughts with us via

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Twitter or you can send us an e- mail. Well, let's take a look now

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at questions to the First Minister Carwyn Jones from a little earlier

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this afternoon. Good afternoon. The first item this afternoon his First

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Minister's Questions. I would like to ask the First Minister when he

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last met with the First Minister of Scotland. I last met him on 13th

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January in Dublin. During that meeting, did the First Minister of

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Wales have an opportunity to insure him that he will not interfere in

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internal issues in Scotland, and has the First Minister of Wales had

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an opportunity to direct the Prime Minister of the UK have to behave?

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Can you tell us more about the convention he launched yesterday

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and may I say that I am very supportive of this a step. Thank

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you for that. I have made my opinion public that the future of

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Scotland is something for the people of Scotland. Regarding the

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convention, it is very important that we consider the position of

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the UK at present, regarding developments of the past few years

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so that we get more clarity about the various powers that this

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Assembly has, the Northern Ireland Assembly has, and UK government as

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well as Scotland. What the First Minister agree that when voters in

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Scotland come to put their crosses in the Scottish independence vote,

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that they consider that they are not just breaking away from England,

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but they are breaking away from Wales and Northern Ireland as well

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to fellow Celtic nations. And doesn't he think they should

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consider that when they come to vote? I very much hope the people

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of Scotland had to remain part of the UK. They are very important

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part of the UK and Scotland adds balance to the UK. He UK will be

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very much worse off without Scotland. I know occasionally we do

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disagree on a few things, but on the issue of the future of the UK,

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I know that you share my view that the United Kingdom has a steered

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Wales and all the constituent parts of the UK in good stead for 300

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years and hopefully will continue in the future. Following on from

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the question asked, would you once again staked your belief in the

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importance to Wales or Scotland in the United Kingdom remain together,

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and would also agree that it was very important the Prime Minister

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did give an indication that they should be an early referendum

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because in the meantime, businesses are suffering from the uncertainty

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that has been created by the Scottish Nationalist Party. I'm

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sure you would not like to see his security. What happens in Scotland

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as a matter for the people of Scotland. I'm not convinced it is a

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wise intervention on the part of the Prime Minister with regard to

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Scottish affairs, but that said, I would very much regret seeing

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Scotland leaving the UK. I very much believe in the unity of the UK

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and certainly it would be great last was in Wales of Scotland were

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to leave the UK. Can I remind people that it is one question and

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sure preambles. Paul Davies. What is the Welsh government doing to

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improve public transport accessibility across Wales? We are

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delivering accessibility improvements to public transport

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across Wales. This includes the new train services to Fishguard, the

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forthcoming reopening of a station and the current major improvements

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to Swansea High Street station. of the plans that has been very

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successful but meant than breath of Wales is the town riders King which

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has this -- which has increased accessibility for many people.

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Understand of funding of the scheme is to come to an end. Many

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constituents have contacted me and a very concerned that the scheme --

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scheme is to come to a close because many feel that it is a

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lifeline to them under these circumstances. Is the government

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reconsidering his decision? And if not, what will replace this

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valuable service? Unfortunately, that funding is no longer available

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for that scheme from the government. But from what they understand,

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there are ongoing talks with the local authority regarding the

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future of the schemes. At Prime Minister's Questions last week, we

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have the Conservative government is axing the Labour initiative to

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contain the prices of transport. I wondered if you could say what can

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be done to ensure that the price of train fares is as important as the

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accessibility. It is crucial that people feel they are able to travel

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on public transport paying a reasonable fare. The great danger

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is that if where fares are allowed to rise in an unregulated way, that

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they will rise to an extent that people feel they cannot access the

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railways. It is absolutely crucial that there is proper regulation

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implies across the hall of the UK. Your government here in Wales has

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just kept the ground to bus companies by a quarter -- cut the

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grant. This is higher than in England. This cut has been made

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with just 10 weeks notice, although the contracts were in place with

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the county council, why is this cut so significantly higher in Wales

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and why was there so little warning given to bus companies who will

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suffer as a result and will have to cut services? It continues to be

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higher than it is in England, looking at the per litre of fuel,

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we should look at the budget we have had from London, we had to

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consider the best way to cut some services. Unfortunately, this is an

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area where we had to reduce the subsidy available, but again,

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emphasise that the funding is higher than if you look at the Poly

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to fuel in England. They are a number of areas in North Wales

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where public transport is not available and where the public,

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particularly the elderly, are dependent on commuter transport.

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When will you government be in a position to give some assurance on

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funding for next year in this area? As I said, we are in a situation

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where it is not possible to ensure that the same amount of money is

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available that we would like in the future. But of course we want to

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look at all kinds of ways of ensuring all kinds of transport in

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all parts of Wales. Disabled people are more likely than non-disabled

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people to be the victim of crime. Public transport can be a

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particular hot spot for that. So much so, that many disabled people

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feel unable to access public transport that exists. Volley

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provide us with them -- an update on what you are planning to do so

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that disabled people can feel safe in public places? The issue of hate

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crime against disabled people have been raised before. It is one we

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take very seriously and we deplore it. The fact that people should

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seek to target those who were in a position of particular fund ability,

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I know we have been working with the authorities in the past to make

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sure hate crime is dealt with. -- vulnerability. First Minister, in

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your programme for government, you will about encouraging greater

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levels of private sector investment and employment. Could you explain

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what you would measure as a success as the end of a programme for

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government as to that increase in private sector investment? More

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businesses, more jobs and increase in gross domestic household income.

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Does our aspirations we would all agree with. One of the deficits in

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the Welsh economy is the inability to attract high end value drops to

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Wales, headquartered jobs, whether they be UK headquarters can be

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European operations all well the operations. Recent evidence taken

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in an article by the chief executive of Admiral highlighted

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that if they were considering locating in the current climate,

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they must probably would not lead to Wales to locate their

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headquarters. What actions of the government doing to undertake full

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engagement with the private sector so those high end jobs and high-end

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companies do actually locate herein Wales? A central business district

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of Cardiff has been daggers -- designated as an and present and

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that will be crucial in attracting financial services such as Admiral

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in the future to a capital city. We will also continue with the contact

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that we make in other countries, I have been to China, I will go to

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the US and India over the next few months to ensure that investment

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opportunities for Wales are maximised from this countries as

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well. Nobody could disagree with those sentiments that you have put

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over this afternoon, a duck the issue is, Lego -- regrettably, the

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record is not good in the first 10 years of the Assembly government in

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attracting this type of companies. I fully endorse the efforts behind

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Cardiff Business District, but we need to hear from you what

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different measures your government will be doing to engage with those

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high-value customers are. already have the anger companies

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that have been designated. They are the largest employers and Wales. We

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look very closely -- we work very closely with them to attract

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further investment into Wales and the future. May I also welcome the

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debate but you have opened on the constitution. The problem with

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opening such a debate is you have to then say where you stand on that.

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Can you tell us what constitutional changes he would favour for Wales?

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Firstly, regarding Part 1 of the commission to consider issues such

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as taxation, landfill, taxation for airports, look at issues such as

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stamp duty, in order to reassure that we have a way of developing

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taxes and Wales bearing in mind that they fall within their

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responsibilities that we have presently. What you're saying is

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that you're happy with the constitutional settlement as it

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currently exists but that you would favour some tinkering with some

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minor issues of taxation, that could raise hundreds of thousands

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rather than income tax or corporation tax. Isn't it true to

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say that the reason that the current debate is ongoing is there

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is full clarity in what Scotland is requesting? Alex Salmond is asking

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for independence for Scotland. The problem is there is no clarity in

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terms of what you are requesting were seeking. The reality is, in

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Reading, and I have read very carefully what you have said if you

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press conference, you're they did the question on where exactly you

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see the constitutional future of Wales. Indeed, what is your

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ambition for Wales? Although you have refused to answer that

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question, can you tell the Assembly were you truly stand? Are I am not

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in favour of independence. Regarding my opinion, the silt

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Commission, we have that and we are in favour of borrowing powers and

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we are in favour of looking at issues such as energy. Regarding

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allowing energy products in Wales. That is what the whole Assembly is

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in favour of. By one that Assembly to have powers that are relevant,

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but I don't want to go over the cliff regarding favour of

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What I have to genu First Minister, is the only time you have fire in

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your belly is when you say you are talking about independence, in

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every other issue you sound week, if I may say so, so there is a lack

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of leadership. If we are to have the constitutional debate, in terms

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of these constitutional changes, but that will mean is that all of

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the parties have to set out there stall more clearly. You, and if I

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may say so, you have mentioned relatively minor issues in terms of

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constitutional change, but there is significant difference between what

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you're suggesting and independence, and in Scotland as a possibility

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that there may be a question of a different type of responsibility.

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There can you tell us exactly where you stand on the continuum, if we

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are going to have a considered discussion on this issue, we need

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to know where the First Minister stands. And it is perfectly clear

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what my opinion is. Everything is said on the changing of the ballot

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system. That has to happen before are anything else, or else we are

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locked into a basis of raising taxes from a weak position. I am

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perfectly happy to have this debate to with their leader of the party

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because he will be going out in May and saying that his party is in

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favour of independence. I would be happy to debate with them. First

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Minister, the most recent set of educational results showed that a

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Welsh students are falling behind in mathematics and science. Are the

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workshops approved and funded by the education ministers to teach to

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the test the answer to the shortcomings in the education

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system? It is part of the picture, but we want to see an improvement.

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I understand why you want to save your government from another

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embarrassing set of poor education results, but it is not just about

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this, in your Cabinet report, the education minister said this is

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only one part of the jigsaw, but it is reflective of other evidence.

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Examination results are rising but are not in pace with England. This

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is consistent on the GCSE and A- levels. Kenny detail of supporters

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were now offering to the schools that recently placed in banned five

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of the system? This is a matter for the local authority to identify

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what support is needed, but the Education Minister is absolutely

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right in saying that parents and teachers have an idea of what needs

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to be done in the schools and the banding provides that evidence.

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is extraordinary that you have absolved the Government of any

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responsibility in ensuring that the schools get the support they need.

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I have no problem with giving parents the information on how the

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school is doing, but I want to see that matched with action to improve

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the school. One headmaster of a band five school has said to me

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that if this is the target support, then where is it? What is it? We

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have had no follow-up from Annie one since the publication of these

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figures. You were happy to coach and pay for schools to pass the

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assessments to save government blushers. When will you target

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assistance at the schools and law bans to improve the school's?

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have resources that go beyond the UK government. We are transparent

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about this. We're happy to publish performance levels and also to

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publish funding levels on an annual basis, something the UK government

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has refused to do it in terms of England. It means we can no longer

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compare funding per head in England and Wales because the UK government

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of which our party is a part, have refused to publish comparison

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figures. I very much regret that. We move back to questions on the

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paper, Simon Thomas. Will the First Minister make a statement on buffer

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zones for open cost developments? would refer you to minerals,

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technical advice note to. Thank you for that response and with

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reference to the technical advice, he will know that that refers to

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500 metres in terms of a buffer zone for open development. Why has

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planning permission been given to extend the same talent opencast

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site which will bring it within that 500 metre buffer zone close to

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people's homes and to playgrounds, one of the playgrounds of one of

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the brand new schools in the 21st century schools programme. What

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will you do and what are you tell constituents that are concerned

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that the rules could not be followed in this case? This is

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something for the local planning authority. I cannot make any

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comment on any individual cases. But the policy is still there, this

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buffer zone policy still exists in this technical advice note. First

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Minister, it is important that the buffer zone is a duty by local

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authorities and enforced as much as possible, but we Dewar Greek it is

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important to insurer bad businesses that operate restore the land so it

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goes back to the way that it was. - - but we need to agree it is

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important to ensure that businesses. It is the responsibilities of those

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that work on open cast mines to restore the land once the

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operations have come to an end. That is an obligation that

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everybody in the wider world would support. In terms of how we will

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enforce this, this has to do with the ad said of the agreement on

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part of the local planning a authority. -- the outset. They

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would retain the responsibility for restoring the conditions when they

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had been imposed at the first part of the planning application. With

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the increasing focus on energy generating fuel, pretty clearly

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open cast as we are fortunate of having some resources and Wales, is

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it time to look at enforcement policy on the fact that in England

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section 106 is there. There is no buffer zone in England, buffer

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zones can go anywhere. That is not the right approach. You raise this

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question of section one of six which is worth considering a, had

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their ways of standing out? There is a limitation because the

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community infrastructure level composers in a way that we do not

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welcome. -- imposes. It would be better if the infrastructure levy

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was at a default or if it was phrased in a less prescriptive way

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than it is at the moment. previous Environment Minister

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promised to review a buffer zones when the new law was tested. After

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that happened, the current environment minister said he did

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not believe that this was necessary because the local development plan

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and the guidance provided the balance. However, many of us went

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to a meeting with lawyers who want to look at areas and they wanted to

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deconstruct the statutory instrument, as they put it, so that

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clients can to press ahead in those areas without going straight into

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restoration. What are your views on this instance continuing looking

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better answers to your colleagues on this? And the attempts to

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deconstruct the planning guidance as you put it would resist strongly.

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We take a very dim view of attempts that are made to get around

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planning permission and planning guidance in order to facilitate

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opencast mining. The guidance is there, it is clear and the buffer

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zone is clear. What is the First Minister doing to support small

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businesses in South Wales Central? We have clear steps to support

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business and government. One of the visible steps was to establish the

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sector panels ostensibly to give business a voice in government.

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Despite the fact that businesses are described as micro businesses,

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only 20 % of the people on the sector panels are from SMEs not at

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all micro businesses. On behalf of the 40,000 micro businesses in

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South Wales Central, what will you do to redress this balance and give

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the small businesses the voice they deserve in this Government?

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micro business task and Finnish group launched its findings last

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Wednesday and they are considering the details of their

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recommendations. They will be taken forward in due course. I know that

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many small businesses in my constituency will welcome the

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recommendations of the recent task on micro business groups set up by

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the minister. When I spoke to SMEs, I have often been told that they

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feel that the feedback mechanisms in place are not as good as they

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should be elected businesses know what they can do differently the

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next time, if unsuccessful in bidding for a public sector

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contracts. Can you give some assurances that strong feedback

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mechanisms may be central to the Government's response to the

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report's recommendations regarding support and advise? Absolutely.

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Feedback on services we provide is important and the response to the

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micro Service report will have suitable feedback mechanisms in

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place. I welcome that the report is with the business minister from the

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task group that he set up, but time and time again, small business has

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come and speak to me about the delay in getting information, and

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that flow of information from the 12 governments but allows them to

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procure or participate in the procurement of a contract. When

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would the minister be in a position to bring the information for word

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over the proposals they are looking to streamline the process? This is

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why the micro business task group has set up. There is an

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implementation plan which would be drawn up and publish shortly. We

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will continue to meet on a quarterly basis to monitor the

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implementation of the recommendations as well. There is a

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possibility some say a probability that the Welsh economy is in

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recession right now, but because it out of date statistics we receive,

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there is no way of us really knowing. The UK economy as a whole

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is teetering just above negative growth at the moment, there is a

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strong suspicion that the south- east of England is skewing the

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overall figures. Firstly, will you insist upon the collection and

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publication of up to date quarterly statistics, like those produced in

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Scotland, so that we can have the full picture here of the Welsh

0:26:250:26:31

economy and so that policies can be tailored to, for example, measures

0:26:310:26:35

that could help small businesses in my region, small businesses are

0:26:350:26:40

struggling in every part of Wales, to help take on new people, or at

0:26:410:26:46

the very least, safeguard already existing jobs? She raises an

0:26:460:26:50

important point, and we're looking at how we can secure more up-to-

0:26:500:26:54

date GDP figures for Wales and the future, along the lines of those

0:26:540:27:01

available in Scotland. What assessment has the First Minister

0:27:010:27:07

made of the potential impact of the 2012 Olympic Games on Wales? We are

0:27:080:27:14

finalising an economic impact assessment of London 2012, tears 1,

0:27:140:27:19

2 and 3 contracts are with businesses in Wales and there is an

0:27:190:27:26

evaluation of the UK-wide legacy of the Games. As you may be aware, the

0:27:260:27:30

European Tour operators Association has this month argued that the

0:27:300:27:34

tourism benefits of holding Olympic events are overstated sometimes.

0:27:340:27:42

Also, the recent comments by tourism experts, Mr John Waite,

0:27:420:27:46

that Wales has yet to capitalise fully on major events based tourism,

0:27:460:27:51

what commitments are you prepared to make to ensure that we further

0:27:510:27:55

developed the sector, which is particularly critical for the rural

0:27:550:27:59

Welsh economy? There is a government action plan on securing

0:27:590:28:03

the legacy for Wales. I believe that we had a good record of

0:28:030:28:07

securing tourism for major events. The Ryder Cup as a prime example

0:28:070:28:11

and the success of the Ryder Cup was added to encourage people to

0:28:110:28:15

travel around Wales. The wreck of clubs that benefited strongly from

0:28:150:28:25

the tourism. -- there were golf clubs. First Minister, the action

0:28:250:28:30

plan securing the legacy for Wales stated that they will focus on

0:28:300:28:35

maximising the economic legacy for Wales by promoting trade and

0:28:350:28:41

investment, boosting tourism and enhancing Wales as global

0:28:410:28:45

reputation leading to, during and following the Games. Many

0:28:450:28:49

businesses in South Wales East, for example one of my constituents, was

0:28:490:28:53

concerned that they will not benefit from the Olympics and the

0:28:530:28:56

Paralympics, just like they did not see a boost in profits from the

0:28:560:29:01

Ryder Cup being on their doorstep. What assurances on the Welsh

0:29:010:29:06

government give to instil confidence in local businesses and

0:29:060:29:11

can you confirm that they will now reap the rewards for the Olympics

0:29:110:29:16

and the Paralympics. We're looking through the action plan that she

0:29:160:29:22

referred to ensure that there is a secure legacy for Wales. There are

0:29:220:29:26

sometimes put it is difficult to plan for an event that is cancels,

0:29:260:29:31

like the Welsh Tory conference in Wales! There are many hoteliers

0:29:310:29:36

that were left out of pocket because of the cancellation of the

0:29:360:29:39

Welsh Conservative conference! I want to be charitable to the party

0:29:390:29:44

opposite unsafe that of course we want to encourage major events in

0:29:440:29:48

Wales, but we cannot categorise the Welsh Tory conference as a major

0:29:480:29:58
0:29:580:29:59

The Minister of Wales has lost out significantly in terms of the

0:29:590:30:03

lottery my that we haven't received because of the Olympic Games

0:30:030:30:08

happening in Britain. Can you be certain that the economic benefits

0:30:080:30:16

are going to be approved to Wales as a result of the game's? Many of

0:30:160:30:21

the games they could have taken place, such as mountain bikes,

0:30:210:30:28

aren't going to be happening here. That is what the action plan wants

0:30:280:30:33

to achieve. We have a substantial legacy following the games. We have

0:30:330:30:36

to bear in mind as well that many teams will be coming to Wales to

0:30:360:30:42

train before the Games themselves, and that is also an opportunity to

0:30:420:30:52
0:30:520:30:53

sell Wales to those teams. Does the First Minister make any

0:30:530:30:56

representations to the UK government about the fact that the

0:30:560:31:02

changes to the welfare system will have one Welsh people? We have

0:31:020:31:12

expressed our concerns about the Ralph -- well for reform. --

0:31:120:31:20

welfare reform. A further statement will be issued next month.

0:31:200:31:25

plans to slash the welfare budget by having a drastic effect on many

0:31:250:31:29

people throughout Wales and will continue to do so while these

0:31:290:31:34

ideological policies are being pursued. I'm sure many Welsh

0:31:340:31:38

families who are being hit by a substantial drop in income would

0:31:380:31:43

like to know where you stand on the question. Do you disagree with your

0:31:430:31:47

Labour Party colleague and shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who

0:31:470:31:50

effectively endorsed the coalition's right wing agenda when

0:31:500:31:55

he said that the next Labour government was going to have to

0:31:550:32:00

keep all these cuts. Do you agree with Ed Balls? That is not -- that

0:32:000:32:07

is not what Ed Balls said. He said it is a difficult time to commit to

0:32:070:32:16

it. We don't know what a mess the UK will be in by 2015, so I think

0:32:160:32:26
0:32:260:32:26

it is wise of him. We as a party Stanford equality -- stand for.

0:32:260:32:29

is incredibly disappointing that the Tory lead UK government has

0:32:290:32:37

pledged to press ahead with their plans to restrict DSA for Kim --

0:32:370:32:42

chemotherapy patients. As Macmillan the Cancer Support put it recently,

0:32:420:32:47

the idea that supporting cancer patients at the time of greatest

0:32:470:32:51

needs encourages dependency is utterly without foundation. Would

0:32:510:32:55

you agree with -- agree with me that this is a completely

0:32:550:32:58

reprehensible move on the part of the Conservatives at Westminster,

0:32:580:33:02

and that the Tories at this end of the M4 should make it clear whether

0:33:020:33:12
0:33:120:33:13

they support these plans which leave thousands of cancer patients

0:33:130:33:21

losing out. You're absolutely right. Once again, it is a sad example of

0:33:210:33:26

the UK government saying that we'll all get together, but targeting the

0:33:260:33:35

most vulnerable in society. First Minister, the disability living

0:33:350:33:39

allowance is a prime example where it has remained largely unchanged

0:33:390:33:44

for the past 20 years. It is actually costing the working tax-

0:33:440:33:50

paying family about �3,000 per year. The number of people receiving DLA

0:33:500:33:55

has also risen by 30 % and we have now got almost a quarter of a

0:33:550:34:05

million people in Wales receiving this. Liam Byrne MP said last year

0:34:050:34:15
0:34:150:34:19

that they support a cap on benefit if it comes from public money. What

0:34:190:34:24

do you think? It is a great shame when offered the opportunity to do

0:34:240:34:27

it -- to express support to cancer sufferers can the Conservative

0:34:280:34:35

Party in Wales have failed to do so. The opportunity was there in this

0:34:350:34:39

chamber to disagree with the UK's government proposals for cancer

0:34:390:34:43

sufferers and in support for cancer sufferers. It is a sad day that

0:34:430:34:50

that opportunity was not taken in this chamber. I share the First

0:34:500:34:58

Minister's concerns, and indeed Ed Balls', in the way to reform of

0:34:580:35:02

disability benefits has been operated. Last week, in my surgery,

0:35:020:35:09

I saw a young man had been booted off benefits and had been refused

0:35:090:35:15

support allowance because somebody said so. But this young man was

0:35:150:35:20

both physically and mentally completely unfit for work. He walks

0:35:200:35:24

with the stick and most the time he was forced to be standing well we

0:35:240:35:30

had a discussion because of his inability to sit down. On top of

0:35:300:35:34

that, he is agoraphobic and could only come to the surgery with the

0:35:340:35:37

support of a family member. The idea that this young man is ready

0:35:380:35:46

for work and that signing on at the job centre will give him a job, is

0:35:460:35:50

a complete travesty of the hold benefits system. He needs both

0:35:500:35:58

physical and mental also -- support. And what indication does the Welsh

0:35:580:36:05

government have of the numbers of people in similar situations?

0:36:050:36:15
0:36:150:36:16

20th August 10 there were -- 2010 there were many people receiving

0:36:160:36:24

DLA. How can it be a fair reform of the system if, beforehand, a

0:36:240:36:27

minister declared that 20 % of people will lose their announced

0:36:270:36:35

what ever happens? That cannot be right. There needs to be it a

0:36:350:36:42

fundamental rethink. What action will the Welsh government be taking

0:36:420:36:52

to reduce poverty? The programme includes a commitment to tackling

0:36:520:36:58

poverty Action Plan. In recent survey highlighted that there is a

0:36:580:37:08
0:37:080:37:08

high level of child poverty in my constituency. To a poverty levels

0:37:080:37:16

will be increased -- Child poverty levels will be increased as people

0:37:160:37:23

go back into work. It has a huge impact on people and could be

0:37:230:37:25

restricted to if people are helped back to work. What action as the

0:37:250:37:31

Welsh government taking to support families to get back into work?

0:37:310:37:38

issue of child care will be taken as part of the poverty Action Plan.

0:37:380:37:41

We'll take it forward in order to deal with the many problems that

0:37:410:37:44

farmers will face over the next few years as a consequence of policies

0:37:440:37:51

being pursued at Westminster. of the key objectives in your child

0:37:510:37:55

poverty strategy is to improve the skills of parents or carers and you

0:37:550:37:59

have people living in low-income households, so they can fit --

0:37:590:38:05

secure well-paid employment. Will the government's development --

0:38:050:38:09

what workers your government been doing to promote the relevant

0:38:090:38:15

skills required in those areas and what potential investment schemes

0:38:150:38:19

will be available to companies locating to those areas for the

0:38:190:38:25

development of work-based training? We still await final confirmation

0:38:250:38:34

regarding capital allowances, but we are investing heavily in skills.

0:38:340:38:37

Particularly over the last two or three weeks. We also have a

0:38:380:38:41

fundamental commitment to double the number of families who are

0:38:410:38:44

eligible for the Flying Start scheme. That is an excellent way of

0:38:440:38:48

ensuring that people are able to access work, that they're able to

0:38:480:38:51

access the skills they need and that they have the support and

0:38:510:38:56

place in order to go to work. That is where the scheme will remain a -

0:38:560:39:01

- an important part of this government's work. You can see more

0:39:010:39:09

proceedings from the National Assembly on BBC Wales democracy

0:39:090:39:15

live website. Our Welsh affairs officer is back on the sofa with us.

0:39:150:39:19

No surprise that the First Minister's Questions kicked off

0:39:190:39:25

with a question about Scotland. Scotland is dominating the

0:39:250:39:29

political agenda across the UK at the moment. There will be a speech

0:39:290:39:32

by Alex Salmond today in London followed by an announcement by him

0:39:320:39:35

tomorrow but the consultation process on how that independence

0:39:350:39:40

referendum will be held. Just a holding of the referendum but this

0:39:400:39:48

has implications for Wales. No surprise that this is very much on

0:39:480:39:55

the minds of politicians here. First Minister made the state of

0:39:550:39:58

the UK the theme of his new monthly press conferences yesterday. This

0:39:580:40:02

morning, another press conference from him to talk about what the

0:40:020:40:06

Labour Party was doing to deliver for Wales. Two big announcements in

0:40:060:40:11

two days, what does that mean? it a big announcement or not? The

0:40:110:40:16

opposition parties would say not. The delivery document was a bit of

0:40:160:40:21

spin, a bit of PR, because their continual attacks on Carwyn Jones

0:40:210:40:27

for not doing anything are beginning to get under his skin. Of

0:40:270:40:31

course, those two things are not mutually exclusive. It could be

0:40:310:40:34

that Carwyn Jones is annoyed that his being accused of doing nothing

0:40:340:40:39

because he feels he is doing quite a lot. But Labour felt the need to

0:40:390:40:44

put up this document and say, look, these attacks coming from the

0:40:440:40:49

opposition are simply not true in our view. The response from the

0:40:490:40:54

opposition parties has been quite damning. I didn't interview with

0:40:540:40:57

the leader of the concert as this morning. He said the government

0:40:580:41:03

would not know the meaning of the word delivery. I think the

0:41:030:41:06

opposition parties will be rubbing their hands slightly because the

0:41:060:41:12

shows that they have, if you like, irritated at the very least, the

0:41:120:41:17

Labour Party. We are running into local elections coming up in May.

0:41:170:41:21

The UK wide polls suggest that Labour may be falling back a bit,

0:41:210:41:26

it may not be quite as popular as they are. These are important

0:41:260:41:30

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